Multiple liquid processing container



Jan. 15, 1952 F. PALIK MULTIPLE LIQUID PROCESSING CONTAINER Filed April 18, 1947 INVENTOR.

FF fink. pal

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 UNITED "111555.. PAT E N'T "l'-' l=-.IC715.

v MULTIPLE-LIQUID PROCESSING CONTAINER -"FrankBalik, Kensington,Md.

"Application April "is, 194T, Serijal No'; z42;4's4

This invention relates tdliquid --contact=appa- =ratusand' more particularly *to noveh apparatus "for tre'ating soilmaterial -With a pro'cessing liqu'id. 'Anexam'ple' ofsuch anapparatus is'one adapted to process-tissue- -specimensfor 'microscopic exsequence, frornone container of-"a -dsired' 'solution-to'-others containing' biz-her solutions. This lends itself-to human errors in timingthe-various steps-there is always the possibility or anerror in"thetsequence"off steps and alaboratorytechniciammustbe "in attendance constantly 'ciuring processing.

An important object of the invention' *is=to I provide fsuch""an' apparatus"*tvherein; =asidefrom the introduction" of the -material tote-processed anddtsremovalafter processingfithewarious steps are carried on automatically; -whereby the human erroriact'or is-eliminated.

Where manual or automatic processingf'is carried-on by mechanical-removal" 'oi the specimens or material." from 'a' solution in-one c'ontalner'f to asolution in anothercontainer?drippingofsolu tion occurs during such transfers.

Another important object is topro'vlde arrautomatic 'processing apparatus wherein'bhtone container' is -employed"which, in turnrcontains one liquidalter another, so that-thematerial remains in the same container from the start hf=process ing=until-the conclusion thereof. T-hat is; the material, upon introduction into *the container, may be treated with a=certainsolution-automatisally introduced theretofthe 's'ol-ution automatically drained therefrom after a predetermined period; thematerial automatically warshe'd (if desired) the-:washinguflriid =automatica1'1ywemoved,

anothersolution automaticallyzintroduced, the 1 material "treated itherewitlr tor: a predetemiined period :(which may. be gieater onzfless than the time 201'" the mreviously mentioned gperiod) i :this s'olutiom automatically drained; and-soon. The material,"consequently; does mt-leave the contameri-for the material and solutions during the entire-processing.

Obviously; :in removing material from a z-bath in 20116' '-.:container=and irintrod-ucing iitsto' a tbath withinwanothericontainerr even ifidoneautomatically; there is ithe temperature-factor :to-heeonsidered. It'- .imay' be sundesirable to-i expose: "the material :to an abrupt change'intempezature eas that or a rsolutionrtromewhich the rmatenal was removedand-the temperature of the outside air encountered 1 during transfer fromone con-tainer to another).

Still: another-' important objectis :to qorovide an apparatus for automatically.pro'cessingmaterial wherein the material-need not'--beexposed to the air outside the -:container during-- the entire processing.

Unless rcumbersome closure-operators are employed to automatically openmand close -onec'ontainer-= aafter rfanother vforftheintroduction and .removal of material; :it us ebviousthat, :unless the outside airis of substantially the same temperatures -.as :that nor the warioussolutions; during the processing cycle; each solution will gradually vary-win temperature during'the processing step :in'which itiis employed.

-further importantrobject of-theinvention -is :tmprevent the: exposure of :the various solutions tocthe outside air during the entire automatic processing of the material.

-i'Where anpivoted arm -is:'-,provi-ded;=carrying a :suitaole vessel at "its; free -'end,- *which vessel: is adapted; "upon step-by-step rotation of the arm, to dip into various 'containersarranged in a circle, it-is obviousthat considerablefloor space is necessary.

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus as described which occupies but 'little floor space.

:Other objectsand: advantagesof the invention will be apparent during 7 the following" detailed description of the. invention, taken in'connection the accompanying "drawing, 'forming' a part otthis specificatiom-and in which drawing:

Figure l isanelevationof the novelprocessing apparatus.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of'the upper portionthereof, substantially on :the line 2-2 of Figurezl.

Figures 3 and 4 arewhorizontal sectionsupon their respectivelines in'Figure l.

vlnithe drawing wherein' for-the purpose of illustrationwis shown a'ppreferred "embodiment of the invention and "wherein: similar referencecharacters designate rcorresponding parts throughout theseive'r'al wiews, the "letter designates the apparatus as a wholegincludingsan'outerrcontainer-fB, "lnner container. Cpinlet' conduits D, outlet'iconduits'iE; "means*'F i'for rotating one, :of

a said containers and conventional-rmeans G'for timing themeansfF.

The outer: container YB is shownras a1 doublewalled eylmderyopenat itsiupperzand lower ends, the upper 'open zend eonstitutin'gaimouth .5 and vided for the container C.

'screw threads of the bores 8.

may be provided with, preferably, aplurality of spaced-apart bores 8"at its lower end portion v9, for portions of the inlet conduits D and outlet conduits E.

Within the container B is the inner container C which may also be a cylinder open at its upper end, providing a mouth [0, and closed at its lower end by a bottom wall H. The outer sur face l2 of the container C is constructed and arranged for an intimate but slidable fitv with the surface 6 preferably throughout the length of the surface 6, whereby the wall of the container "B adds to the thickness of the Wallof the apparatus A and further insulates the contents of the container C.

As shown in Figure 4,-the container C may be provided, at its lower end, just above the wall l l L:

with an opening [3, constructed and arranged so that, as one or the other container rotates, this opening l3 will align with one after another of the bores 8. A removable The inlet conduits D may be of the same number as there'are possible liquids to be introduced into the container C, and they may be connected with the container 13 in any approved way; For

example, the bores 8 may be screw-threaded as shown and the ends of the conduits D may be exteriorly screw threaded tocooperate with the These conduits lead, of course, from various reservoirs (not shown) of solutions (or reservoirsof solutions and reservoirs of water). a Alternating with the conduits Dare the'conduits E which may also'be of the same number as there are possible liquids to be discharged from the container C, and they may be connected with the container B in the sameway as are the con-'- duits D. They lead to suitable liquid discharge means. V The'conduits D and E may'provide-the support means for the container B. I In the example shown, the container C rotates within the container B. Rotation may be provided by the means F which includes 'a shaft [5 secured to the vertical axial center of the bottom wall I I, depends therefrom and carries means, such as the bevel gear l6 meshingwith means, such as the bevel gear I1, carried by the shaft N3 of an electric motorlQ.

As is well known in the art, 'a conventional closure I4 may be pro- P timer means G may be provided and ope'rativel'y i connected with the means F.

In the operation of the novel apparatus A, after the material has been inserted into the container C (for example, the material may be within a suitable container having foraminouswalls) and 'into operation and the following sequence of steps ensue: the first liquid will fiow into the container C for treating the material therein. After a predetermined timing to permit enough of this first liquid to enter the container C, the timer Grwill set into operation the means F which will rotate the container C sufliciently to close the bore 8 and flow of liquid will cease, the timer G will then stop the operation of the means F or permit the container C to rotate until the opening I3 therein aligns with the bore 8 next adjacent the bore 8 mentioned. Since this last bore 8 is connected with a discharge Or outlet conduit E, and the liquid will drain from the eteinfl Q whereupon thei gler G wi again ""set ir'il'rnc'ition the means F and rotation of the container C will bring the next" adjacent bore 8 H into communication with the opening l3, and, either a second treating solution or wash water (as determined will flow into the container C from the conduit D connected with that bore 8. With this'explanation, it will be obvious that any reasonable number of alternate treating and draining steps may be carried on. Of course, it is now obvious that the timer may be employed simply to start and stop the means F since a slow rotation of the container C with the'bores 8 properly spaced, will permit. entry of the. first treating liquid, stopping of its flow to the container C, a. period during which the treating liquid contacts the material, the discharge of the treating liquid, a period during which the material is not-treated, the entry of another liquid, the stopping of its flow into the container-Q a period in-which this second liquid contacts the material, the draining of this second liquid, and so on-.-.-In either case, the material isnot removed from the one container during; thev entire processing period, the outsideair need not reach it (otherthan to prevent avacuum or pressure .withintthe emptying or filling container C) and the varioussteps are positive ,and fixed against the errors due to manual carrying out of the process: I ,Theapparatus described herein,- while. designed primarily for use in a pathological laboratory, ,is;of much broader scope and envisages other ind ustrial applications such as the dyeing of fabrics and materials, processing of. photographic film, etc. a a Various changes may be made to the formrof theinventionherein shown and described'without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims. V Whatisclaimed is:v v 1. A multi-stage processing apparatus for treatingmaterial' in turn with a plurality-of liquids, including an-outer container having a side ,wallprovided with a substantially cylindrical inner surface, an upwardly-opening mouth opening to said surface, and a pluralityoispaoedapart bores extending from the exterior to the interior-of said container; an inner container including a bottom wall and 'sidewall secured to the bottom wall defining a material-receiving and treatingchamber, said last-named side wall hav-- ing a substantiallycylindrical outer surface in sliding contact with said inner surface, an upwardlyopening mouth to said chamber, said mouths being axially aligned, and a singleropenmgmrhe lower portion only' of said'l'ast named sidewall constructed"andarranged, upon rota tion of one of said containers, to'ali'gn with one and then another of said bores, said opening extending from said chamber to said outer surface; means torotate one of said containers; separate means connected with'each of some of said bores to conduct aseparate liquid to each of i said some of said bores; and-separate means connected with each of the other of said'bores to conduct a separateliquid fromeach of said other .of said bores.

I 2. A mum-stage processing apparatus accord- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing to claim 1 in which the upper edges of said Numb Name Dat side walls at said mouths are in substaptially the 955,290 Denegre 19 81910 same horizontal plane, and said apparatus in- 1,228 469 Mueller u; June 1917 cludes a removable closure covering the upper 5 1,243237 wood Oct 16 1917 edge of said last-named side wall. 1350b: Bean Man 1932 FRANK PALIK- 1,954,218 Morrow Apr. 10, 1934 REFERENCES CITED 2,278,246 Cordova Mar. 31, 1942 The following references are of record in the I file of this patent: 

